Wei Dongling asked anxiously, "Young Master Yun? How is he?"
Uncle Li replied, "I've heard that he was drinking with a princess a couple of days ago. He got drunk and fell into the lake and got injured. When he was found the next day, he was half - drowned."
Wei Dongling:...
Uncle Li spat disdainfully and said, "The princesses of the royal family are really absurd. With such a damaged reputation, how can she get married in the future?"
Wei Dongling's face turned deathly pale. She curled up under the quilt and didn't even dare to make a sound.
Uncle Li looked at her in surprise and asked, "Girl, what's wrong with you? You look so pale."
Wei Dongling mumbled guiltily, "I'm so sleepy. I'll sleep a bit more."
Uncle Li didn't ask further. He nodded and left.
Wei Dongling stayed in bed for two days. Under Ruan Niang's careful care, her body gradually regained its vitality and her complexion got better and better.
She also got to know something about the uncles and aunts in the Listening - to - the - Wind Tower.
Apart from Uncle Li and Ruan Niang, there was also Lin Baiwan, the so - called "God of Wealth", his father, Old Master Lin, and the servant Ah Cheng.
There was also the tall young man Luo Xunlong, the white - haired and bearded Old Brother Qin, and the simple - looking big fellow Yu Haiming.
There were eight of them in total. Except for Old Master Lin, each of them carried various weapons.
They had the unique straightforwardness and boldness of northern men. Even Ruan Niang was forthright with a touch of tenderness, carefree, and clear - cut in her likes and dislikes.
They made Wei Dongling feel a different kind of warmth for the first time in three years.
Uncle Li didn't return until midnight. He found Wei Dongling by the Falling Moon Lake.
The bright yellow moon was reflected on the lake, glistening faintly. Wei Dongling was sitting on the lakeshore with Ruan Niang, staring blankly at the lake.
Uncle Li cleared his throat and asked, "You two are here looking at the moon in the middle of the night?"
Ruan Niang smiled but didn't say a word.
Wei Dongling looked up at Uncle Li behind her, frowned, and said pitifully, "I dropped a hairpin here."
Uncle Li was a bit confused and asked, "Is it your iron hairpin?"
Wei Dongling was annoyed. She pouted and said, "It's gold! A gold hairpin!"
Uncle Li fell silent. A figure emerged from behind him. Dressed in white, the figure rushed straight towards Wei Dongling.
Wei Dongling stood up and exclaimed in surprise, "Cui Huan? Are you okay? Are you injured?"
"I'm fine!" Cui Huan smiled with her eyes curved. She hugged Wei Dongling's waist and felt her up and down. She stared at Wei Dongling rather discontentedly and said, "Miss Wei, why has your little belly disappeared?"
Wei Dongling touched her flat belly in surprise, looking extremely aggrieved. She had eaten and slept poorly these two days and had been worried. The little bit of fat she had finally gained was gone just like that?
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the water, scaring Cui Huan.
It was Luo Xunlong, the tall young man. His wet cloth clothes were tightly stuck to his body, faintly outlining his perfect figure. Water was dripping from his hair.
Luo Xunlong wiped the water droplets from his eyes with his palm and flicked them off. He smiled at Wei Dongling and said, "Girl, I didn't find the gold hairpin. Do you want a fish?" As he spoke, he grabbed a foot - long top - mouthed fish from the water and threw it at Wei Dongling.
Wei Dongling was a bit unsteady on her feet. She happily reached out to catch the fish. Cui Huan stepped forward quickly and caught the fish. Immediately, she beamed with joy. Then the fish flipped its tail and splashed water on her face, making everyone burst into laughter.
Cui Huan smiled shyly.
The big fellow Yu Haiming also emerged from the water, holding a fat big fish in his arms, which amazed everyone.
Ruan Niang smiled and said, "It seems that everyone will have fish soup tomorrow."
Luo Xunlong helped Yu Haiming carry the big fish onto the shore. He bent down and said to Wei Dongling, "Girl, it's getting late. Uncle will help you look for the hairpin tomorrow, okay?"
Wei Dongling nodded repeatedly. The moonlight made her eyes sparkle.
On the way back, Uncle Li pulled Wei Dongling to walk at the back.
Uncle Li said in a deep voice, "Girl, the owner of the winery in Liaocheng has a complicated background."
Wei Dongling lowered her eyes and replied softly, "I met him in the palace. That Young Master Mingyang is actually the prince of Xiliang."
Uncle Li was surprised and said, "You actually know?"
Wei Dongling nodded.
Uncle Li sighed and said, "The Zhao family secretly smelted iron ore in the tea - picking field in Xingshan. They transported it by water to Liaocheng for trading and finally to the area around Wolf Mountain, where there were people to pick it up. Although Xiliang seems to be on good terms with our country on the surface, they have been secretly buying a large amount of iron ore. They must have some hidden motives. And the Zhao family is abetting them... It's really worrying."
Wei Dongling looked up and asked, "Have you seen Lord Shen? What does Lord Shen think of this?"
Uncle Li nodded and sighed, "I just ran into him. I didn't expect that after all these years, the poor little boy has grown up and now has a place in the court."
Lord Shen was diligent, low - key, and an honest and upright official. Years ago, after a chance encounter, the emperor's elder sister, Princess Wenhua, insisted on marrying him. Since then, Lord Shen's official career had been smooth - sailing.
What was even more commendable was that Lord Shen always remembered the kindness of Prime Minister Su.
Uncle Li was silent for a while and then said, "The young wolf cub of the Yu family means that we should join hands with the crown prince. Let the crown prince expose the Zhao family's secret iron ore trading. Lord Shen can add fuel to the fire and rehabilitate Prime Minister Su. Only in this way can we make sure that the Zhao family can't turn things around."
Wei Dongling thought for a while and asked worriedly, "Uncle Li, did Lord Shen ask you to testify for Prime Minister Su?"
Uncle Li nodded silently.
Wei Dongling felt inexplicably uneasy.
Uncle Li stroked her head and smiled, "It doesn't matter. Prime Minister Su was innocent. If it's still unfair this time, I'll just go to jail and experience the prison life that he endured for more than ten years. Then I'll rescue him."
Wei Dongling could only sigh helplessly and smile bitterly.
At night, after Ruan Niang finished the acupuncture and applied the medicine, Wei Dongling fell asleep in a daze. Suddenly, she felt Cui Huan gently lift the quilt and get into the bed.
Wei Dongling was too sleepy to open her eyes. She asked in a slurred voice, "How is he? Did your master punish you?"
Cui Huan choked for a moment and smiled bitterly, "It's okay. Miss Wei, don't worry. The young master will come to see you tomorrow."
Wei Dongling nodded gently and fell asleep with sleepy eyes.
In her dream, she was back in the vast reed forest in the Dazhu Mountains when she was a child.
On the water, her father was poling a small boat. Little Wei Dongling was sitting beside the boat, rolling up her trousers and playing with the water with her bare feet. There were two fish tied with reed poles in the boat cabin, jumping and wagging their tails. Father and daughter were smiling contentedly.
Suddenly, the sky became stormy. Wei Dongling looked up and saw her father looking terrified and trembling all over. Looking closer, there was a diamond - shaped thorn on the outside of her father's thigh, glinting with a poisonous light. Almost in an instant, the bright red blood gushed out uncontrollably. Her father's thin body stiffened and then fell straight into the water.